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Last updated on Feb 6, 2025
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  2. Engineering
  3. Programming

You're juggling multiple programming deadlines. How do you decide which debugging tasks to tackle first?

When coding deadlines loom, effective debugging is critical. Consider these strategies to tackle tasks efficiently:

- Assess the impact: Prioritize bugs that affect functionality or user experience.

- Trace dependencies: Address bugs in code that other tasks are contingent upon.

- Estimate effort: Tackle quick fixes to maintain momentum, or dive into complex issues if time allows.

Which strategies help you navigate multiple programming deadlines?

Programming Programming

Programming

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Last updated on Feb 6, 2025
  1. All
  2. Engineering
  3. Programming

You're juggling multiple programming deadlines. How do you decide which debugging tasks to tackle first?

When coding deadlines loom, effective debugging is critical. Consider these strategies to tackle tasks efficiently:

- Assess the impact: Prioritize bugs that affect functionality or user experience.

- Trace dependencies: Address bugs in code that other tasks are contingent upon.

- Estimate effort: Tackle quick fixes to maintain momentum, or dive into complex issues if time allows.

Which strategies help you navigate multiple programming deadlines?

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43 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
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    Cletus Ngwerume

    Research Assistant | MS Data Science | Data Engineer | Data Scientist | Software Engineer | AI & ML Focus

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    When juggling multiple programming deadlines, prioritize debugging tasks by: Impact on Functionality – Fix critical bugs that break core features or affect users first. Dependency Chain – Address issues in foundational code that other tasks rely on. Effort vs. Reward – Knock out quick fixes to maintain momentum but allocate time for complex problems strategically. Deadline Sensitivity – Focus on tasks with the closest deadlines or those blocking progress. Balancing these factors helps manage time efficiently and meet coding deadlines effectively.

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    Vikramraj Sivaram

    Senior Advanced Software Engineer at Honeywell

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    Drawing from extensive experience with various products, it is evident that addressing bugs and enhancing system architecture over time are crucial tasks. As engineers, we often focus on solving complex problems; however, incorporating the user's perspective is paramount. When a task significantly enhances user experience or productivity, we as a team prioritize it, categorizing it as critical and addressing it promptly. This approach not only reduces the number of issues but also substantially improves the overall user experience of our product.

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    11
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    Vishal Mahuli

    Software Architect - Connected Vehicle Platform @ Hero MotoCorp | Tarento | Ex - Krutrim, Ola, EkStep, eGov, Akamai

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    We build products to add value to the lives of our users in some shape or form, Which is why, when deadlines loom, debugging issues that have massive impact on end-user experience comes first. Second, issues that are expensive to host will soon eat up your runway, so you tackle them. Third, you deal with debugging your must-have features and lastly your nice-to-have or product manager’s wishlist that isn’t breaking anything but surely is taking away that competitive edge.

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    8
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    Jeet Sorathiya

    Full Stack Developer at RKIT Software Pvt. Ltd. | ASP.NET Core | ASP.NET MVC | ASP.NET Web API | ASP.NET Framework

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    Prioritize bugs crashing core features, harming UX, or blocking dependent tasks. Fix quick wins (typos, configs) for momentum; tackle complex issues (race conditions) if time allows. Align with deadlines: resolve imminent issues first, even minor. Avoid risky fixes unless tested. Confirm priorities with stakeholders. Impact > dependencies > effort.

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    7
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    Srikanth R

    SDE at Six30Labs

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    When juggling multiple programming deadlines, I prioritize debugging tasks based on: 1. Impact on Functionality: Fix bugs that affect critical features or prevent the program from working. 2. Severity: Address high-severity issues (e.g., crashes or security risks) first. 3. Deadline Proximity: Focus on tasks related to features with upcoming deadlines. 4. Reproducibility: Prioritize bugs that are easy to reproduce for faster resolution. 5. Dependencies: Resolve bugs blocking other tasks to keep progress moving. 6. Effort vs. Impact: Tackle low-effort, high-impact bugs early for quick wins. This strategy ensures the most important issues are handled first, helping meet all deadlines.

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    5
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    Nitin Varma

    Associate at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

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    When you have multiple programming deadlines, tackle them in this order: 1. Closest Deadline First – If something is due tomorrow and another task is due next week, finish the one due tomorrow first. 2. Biggest Impact First – If one task is more important (like a final project vs. a small homework), work on the one that matters most. 3. Quick & Easy Tasks First – If there are small tasks you can finish quickly, knock them out to clear your plate. 4. Tasks That Block Others – If one task depends on another (like setting up a database before coding an API), do the first one so you don’t get stuck later. 5. Work When You’re Most Focused – Do complex coding when your brain is sharp and save repetitive or easy tasks for when you’re tired.

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    4
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    Maxwell Nunes do Carmo

    Desenvolvedor FullStack Java | Angular, SQL, JavaScript | Experiência em ERP (Sankhya), WMS e Manufatura

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    Quando os prazos estão apertados e os bugs começam a surgir, o jeito é respirar fundo e priorizar. Vamos fazer três perguntas básicas: 1. Esse bug está quebrando algo essencial no sistema? Se ele impede o sistema de rodar ou prejudica a experiência do usuário, não tem discussão—vai para o topo da lista. 2. Tem alguma outra tarefa dependendo disso? Nada pior do que alguém travado porque um erro precisa ser corrigido antes. 3. Dá para resolver rápido ou vai me consumir por horas? Se for um ajuste simples, já priorizo de cara. Mas se for algo complexo, preciso planejar bem para não perder tempo e nem comprometer outras entregas.

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    Jyothi Kumar D

    Engineering ideas into solutions at @ProdGain | GEN AI ✨

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    Here is my approach - 1. Proper segregation of priorities, which task has more dependencies, and which task needed to be fixed first. 2. Tackling one at a time helps actually, and it gets the best of us if we are doing it with another team mate... Debugging really stands out with tag teams most likely. And don't forget to document the changes, approaches once all are done, cause they will be gold mine at some point of time to set off the fire! Happy Learning!!!

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    3
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    Reza Mahdizadeh

    Software Developer/Product Owner @ Behsazan Mellat | Core Banking Solutions

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    When facing multiple programming deadlines, prioritization and efficiency are key factors. Here are some strategies that help us navigate such situations effectively: 1. Impact-Driven Debugging – I first identify and prioritize bugs that significantly affect functionality or user experience, ensuring that critical issues are resolved early. 2. Dependency Mapping – Understanding how different components interact allows me to address foundational issues first, preventing cascading failures later. 3. Effort vs. Value Estimation – I balance quick fixes for immediate progress with tackling complex issues when time permits, ensuring steady momentum.

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    2
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    Christian Jefferson Cordova Matta

    CEO @INQU | Maestría en TI | Senior Software Engineer | GenAI Copilot | CPEFPC™ | ITIL®4 | @IBM Certified | SDC™| SFC™| CIP: 311880

    • Report contribution

    Critical errors that affect the user or interfere with key deadlines should be prioritized for debugging. It is crucial to address serious security or stability issues first, communicate clearly with the team about dependencies, and quickly resolve minor errors to maintain workflow.

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